Pathfinder

Part 2 - 18

EIGHTEEN – BRODY

The minute Lexi Green rolled back into town, I knew about it. My girlfriend, Whitney Franks, was a gossip queen. She spent most of her time at the country club, which may as well be named Gossip Central. We'd been dating for a couple years now, but it wasn't serious, at least not on my end. I knew my mother and Whitney both were seeing Wedding Bells in the near future. What I hadn't told either of them was that I would never get married. I'd agreed to go out with Whitney because she had a nice rack and was the furthest from Lexi as you could get. Lexi was pure. Whitney was a witch. For a moment I remembered Whitney and her best friend Jessica had been mean to Lexi in school, but I pushed the thought away. I had no business thinking about Lexi Green in any capacity.

"I forgot you dated her for a while, Cookie. I don't need to worry, do I, now that she's back in town?" Whitney said in a whiney tone that grated on my nerves and jutted her lower lip out in a juvenile manner that was beyond annoying.

I glared at where she sat on the corner of my desk. Had it really been necessary for her to bring this news to me, while I was working? Now I'd be distracted for the rest of the day, because no matter how I looked at it, Lexi Green still held my heart. I closed my eyes and growled, "Whitney, I've told you before, I hate it went you call me, Cookie. So stop. I've also asked you not to bother me while I'm at work, with menial shit. If you can't get that through your head, then there is the door."

"I'm sorry, Babe. Please don't kick me to the curb. I'll be good. I just get so self-conscious. We've been together awhile now and I know people expect our relationship to progress accordingly, but you haven't asked me any important questions, so it makes me nervous. I know I shouldn't rush you though. You'll ask me when you're ready." Whitney said, nodding as if she didn't sound like a crazy person.

"Whitney when we went out the first time, what did I tell you?" I asked, knowing this conversation needed to be had now. I couldn't put it off anymore. Honestly, since I'd just learned Lexi was back in town, I was ready to cut Whitney loose. I knew better than to think Lexi would ever give me another chance, but I was tired of pretending with Whitney.

She winced and then glared, "You can't be serious."

"What did I tell you, back then, Whit?" I prodded.

She sighed, "You told me that you had only agreed to go out with me to make your parents happy and that I shouldn't get any long term commitment ideas. That was two years ago though, surely you have more feelings for me than that."

I sat, keeping a cold expression on my face with ease. Whitney wasn't the first to think that she could change me, but I vowed, in that moment, she would be the last. I shook my head, "I'm sorry, Whitney. We're done. I can't do this anymore. I'd told my parents six years ago that I'd blindly do what they wanted with my relationships and my career, but I can't do it anymore. I don't want to be with you. I sure as hell don't want to marry you."

My intercom beeped and my secretary announced, "Ron Depew is on line one."

"Thank you, Monica." I tell the older woman. She was a life saver and had impeccable timing, even if it was my sister's weasel of an ex-husband on the line. I stood and motioned toward the door.

Whitney's eyes had grown watery, but seeing that didn't affect me, which told me I was making the right decision. Even though I thought Whitney would make someone a terrible wife someday, she deserved to become that wife, if she wanted. I couldn't or wouldn't give her that, so it was past time to cut her loose. She suddenly stood and walked to the door, with her head held high. I started to think she would leave civilly, which had been more than I was expecting, but then she stopped and declared, "You're a miserable human being. You're heartless and bitter. I hope you rot, alone for the rest of your life."

Her words didn't hurt me. She spoke the truth. I was miserable and bitter. I missed what Lexi and I could have had, if I hadn't fucked things up by listening to her brother. I was heartless, but only because one woman still held my heart and always would. Rotting alone, didn't scare me because it's nothing more than what I deserved. Instead of saying another word, I shut the door in Whitney's face and then went to answer my phone, "Ron Depew, I cannot begin to fathom what we could possibly have to discuss?"

"Everything is your fault, you bastard. I wouldn't be forced to do this, if it weren't for you. You fired me the second you stepped into your father's position. I knew I should have expected it. You warned me that you would do it, but I never did take you seriously, you little shit. The biggest shock was when you talked Cammy into divorcing me, though. You heartless, Fuck. Now I'm wifeless and I don't have two dimes to rub together, but that's going to change after tomorrow. You have twenty-four hours to gather five-million dollars. I'll call you back, at this number, tomorrow at this time with further instructions. If you don't have the money...you'll never see Ricky again." The line went dead before I could say one word. Ron's voice had been shaky and desperate. I didn't doubt for one second that he was holding his own child ransom. The fucker.

Cammy suddenly burst into my office, crying, holding out her cell phone for me to read a text she received from Ron: Five Million dollars by one o'clock tomorrow afternoon or Ricky will disappear.

"Where is Ricky?" I asked, as calmly as possible. Cammy was freaking out and I knew she didn't need me adding to her stress.

Cammy said, frantically, "I left him home alone today, because he wasn't feeling well and I had meetings that I couldn't reschedule. I never once thought Ron would do something like this. He called me last week, asking me for money, but I hung up on him. I should have just given him what he wanted and then Ricky would be safe. There is no telling what Ron will do. I don't want to believe he'd hurt his own child, but I can't be sure. When money is tight, he can get crazy. I never should have started working at the company. If I was still homeschooling the boys, Ron wouldn't have gotten this opportunity to take Ricky."

"Hey, this isn't your fault. He's blaming me because I fired him and talked you into the divorce." I tell her, hoping she'll stop feeling guilty and blame me too. God knows I'm used to it by now. I hadn't seen Lexi's brother since I punched him in the nose at that party, but I hoped Lance and Lexi still had a good relationship. I wouldn't have put it past Lance to still try to come clean to Lexi, even after I told him not to. Considering I hadn't heard one word from her in six years, I guess Lance didn't tattle after all.

Cammy snorted, "Oh please, nobody had to talk me into divorcing that fool."

I smiled. Cammy had been a huge asset to the company. I just wished dad had lived long enough to see her kicking ass. Only a few short months after I fired Ron and hired Cammy, dad had keeled over with a heart attack. To this day I hadn't shed one tear for his passing. He'd always been more tyrant than father. The only thing I was grateful for, was the fact that he'd lived long enough to officially put the company in my name.

I looked at my sister and best friend, promising, "We'll get Ricky back safely. I'll do whatever it takes."